Top 10 highlights for CRC Awareness Month
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For National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Healio presents a collection of videos, Q&As and new data that details improved access to CRC care, the importance of early screening, updated guidelines and more.
VIDEO: Liquid biopsies could change CRC care through early detection
In this Healio video exclusive, Charles J. Meakin, MD, MHA, chief medical officer of Care Oncology, discusses risk factors for colorectal cancer, the importance of early detection and the use of liquid biopsies as screening tools.
Meakin, a board-certified radiation oncologist, said many patients avoid colonoscopies because it is an invasive procedure that requires significant preparation and time away from work. Read more.
VIDEO: Height may increase risk for colorectal cancer, adenoma
In a Healio video exclusive, Gerard Mullin, MD, associate professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at Johns Hopkins University, told Healio that taller adults may have an increased risk for colorectal cancer.
To determine whether adult-attained height associated with risk for CRC or adenoma development, Mullin and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 47 observational studies involving 280,644 cases of CRC and 14,139 cases of colorectal adenoma. Because the definition of “tallness” is different around the world, the Johns Hopkins team compared the highest vs. lowest height percentile among various study groups. Read more.
Q&A: ASGE, Medtronic collaborate to improve CRC screening in underserved communities
Medical device company Medtronic and the ASGE have collaborated to create the Medtronic Health Equity Assistance Program, which aims to improve access to colorectal cancer screening technologies in underserved U.S. communities.
According to a Medtronic press release, the initiative will include the donation of 50 Medtronic GI Genius intelligent endoscopy modules, which have the potential to improve detection of polyps that can lead to CRC, to endoscopy centers throughout the U.S. In addition, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is donating AWS computing credits that support the initiative, as well as the development of future Medtronic health screening technologies. Read more.
Colonoscopy intervals of 1 to 3 years improve CRC outcomes in IBD patients
In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, colonoscopy within 3 years before colorectal cancer diagnosis was linked with early tumor stage detection, while colonoscopy within 1 year reduced overall all-cause mortality, according to data.
“Current U.S. and European Gastrointestinal society practice guidelines recommend colonoscopy for CRC surveillance in IBD patients at recurring periods ranging from 1 to 3 years. Approximately one-quarter of IBD patients in clinical practice receive guideline recommended colonoscopy surveillance,” Hyun-seok Kim, MD, MPH, of Baylor College of Medicine, and colleagues wrote in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. “Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of varying colonoscopy intervals on other CRC outcomes in IBD patients such as stage at detection, receipt of CRC treatment or reducing mortality. Therefore, an additional well-powered study addressing these outcomes is needed.” Read more.
Program eliminates gender disparities, boosts colonoscopy rates among Hispanic patients
A culturally tailored patient navigation program improved colorectal cancer screening rates and reduced the gender gap in screenings among Hispanic patients, according to results published in Cancer.
“[A] low-cost and easy-to-implement intervention such as culturally tailored patient navigation can have a great impact on colorectal cancer screening utilization in the Hispanic population,” Abdul Saied Calvino, MD, MPH, of the department of surgery at Roger Williams Medical Center in Rhode Island, told Healio. “We all agree that colonoscopy is the standard of care for colorectal cancer prevention and early detection. Starting colorectal cancer colonoscopy screening at age 45 saves lives. But this life-saving procedure is underutilized by certain populations, not only because of limited access to care but because of cultural, language, and educational barriers that exist. Most of these barriers can be overcome with a culturally and language-sensitive navigation program.” Read more.
VIDEO: Financial barriers to CRC screening reduced, thanks to new guidelines
In a Healio video exclusive, John Inadomi, MD, president of the AGA, outlined the Biden administration’s new guidance requiring private insurers to cover the cost of follow-up colonoscopy.
The updated guidelines apply to colonoscopy needed as a follow-up to noninvasive colorectal cancer screening tests and aim to prevent patients from receiving surprise bills after a positive result from a stool-based test. The coverage guidance expands upon the requirement for plans to provide the screening benefit to patients aged 45 years and older for policies beginning on or after May 31, 2022. Read more.
Colorectal cancer no longer disease of old age, data supports lowered screening age
Increased incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer and precancerous polyp diagnoses among patients at a younger age supported the recommendation for CRC screening at age 45 for all average risk individuals, according to a study.
“We have known for many years that rates of colorectal cancer are rising in individuals younger than 50, prompting several medical organizations to recommend lowering the screening age from 50 to 45. What has been missing until now is confirmatory data of the prevalence of precancerous polyps in younger individuals,” Steven H. Itzkowitz, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in a press release. “Because precancerous lesions are not reportable to regional or national health agencies, we have not had this degree of information to guide our recommendations. Our study provides an important piece of the puzzle and supports the recommendation changing the screening age to 45.” Read more.
VIDEO: Early detection of CRC extremely important in young individuals
In this Healio video exclusive, Swati G. Patel MD, MS, discusses the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer’s updated screening recommendations for CRC.
Patel, associate professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, said the task force — aligned with other societies including U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network — recommends CRC screening should begin at age 45 years in all individuals. Read more.
Q&A: Experts aim to inspire earlier CRC screening across all racial groups
Colorectal adenocarcinoma incidence rates are increasing in white individuals aged 40 to 49 years and are stabilizing in Black individuals of the same age, according to results published in JAMA Network Open.
As a result, absolute incidence rates are becoming equivalent between the two groups and, for the rectal subsite, incidence rates are now 39.3% lower in the Black population compared to the white population. Read more.
Blood-based CRC screening test identifies asymptomatic, low-grade tumors
LAS VEGAS — Multimodal circulating tumor DNA blood-based colorectal cancer screening tests may have clinically meaningful performance among patients in an average risk screening population, according to a presentation.
“Blood-based colorectal cancer screening holds potential to improve compliance with CRC screening recommendations given the ability to seamlessly integrate a blood-based test into standard of care clinical pathways,” Hee Cheol Kim, MD, of the Samsung Medical Center and Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, said during the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting presentation. “However, to contribute significantly to the CRC screening landscape, the blood-based screening test must detect CRC across multiple clinical parameters in order to prove clinically meaningful.” Read more.